Ainsworth integrating well with Novomatic operations

Updating investors, gambling and lottery technology provider Novomatic Group has stated that its acquisition and integration of Australian slot machine manufacturer Ainsworth Game Technology is ‘progressing well’.

In June 2016, Novomatic was granted the right to acquire a majority 52% stake in Ainsworth paying a reported $470 million to founder Len Ainsworth for his holdings in the ASX-listed firm.

Novomatic chairman and chief executive Harald Neumann has now revealed that the two companies have significantly progressed on terms and strategic future planning. Corporate changes to Ainsworth’s management structure, will see Neumann join the company’s board of directors as Ainsworth maintains its position as a ASX-listed enterprise.

Having secured its majority shareholding in Ainsworth assets, Novomatic’s UK business division has further become the exclusive distributor of Ainsworth products and provisions within Europe. As part of the agreement, an additional 1,000 gaming kits will be ordered in AGT’s 2018 financial year.

At a product level, Novomatic informed the market that its wholly owned subsidiary Greentube Entertainment had also agreed a slot games distribution deal with Ainsworth systems, boosting the slot machine manufacturer’s content inventory.

Updating Ainsworth stakeholders, AGT Danny Gladstone commented on strategic progress: “Our respective game design departments continue to work hard on the exchange of game assets to successfully integrate Novomatic’s successful games onto our platforms and vice versa. I am happy to say that the cooperation is working very well and we are looking forward to the positive prospects of the future relationship.”

Away from Ainsworth, Novomatic has also made some further changes to group governance with Bernhard Krumpel assuming the position as the new head of group communications. Krumpel will coordinate public relations for Novomatic and is responsible for the corporate image of the group in coordination with the subsidiaries. He has succeeded Dr. Hannes Reichmann who is now responsible for the strategic brand alignment of all operating subsidiaries in his new position as head of group operations marketing.

Totally Gaming says: As Novomatic seeks to expand its global footprint, its integration of Ainsworth assets will be critical to its future growth strategy. Can an experienced Novomatic governance turn Ainsworth into a multi-product powerhouse for the Australian and Asian gambling markets? The investment by Novomatic is worth the cost of finding out.